Temperature control assembly and exposure equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a temperature control assembly and exposure equipment, and the temperature control assembly comprises a temperature equalizing plate which is arranged between a mask stage and a lens group; the uniform temperature plate comprises a first packaging layer, a heat conduction layer and a second packaging layer, the heat conduction layer is arranged between the first packaging layer and the second packaging layer, and the first packaging layer and the second packaging layer completely wrap the heat conduction layer; the heat conductivity coefficient of the heat conduction layer in the direction parallel to the temperature-uniforming plate is larger than that of the heat conduction layer in the direction perpendicular to the temperature-uniforming plate. The first packaging layer and / or the second packaging layer are / is further provided with a groove, a temperature control material is arranged in the groove, and the temperature control material is matched with the heat conduction layer so as to keep the environment temperature near the lens group stable. Through the configuration, the temperature control material can be matched with the heat conduction layer, the uniformity and stability of the environment temperature near the lens group are further improved, the influence of the temperature on the lens group is further reduced, the imaging quality is improved, and the product yield is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular to a temperature control component and an exposure device. Background Technology

[0002] The essence of photolithography is to use a light beam to transfer the circuit structure formed on a mask onto a photosensitive thin film on the surface of a silicon wafer. During photolithography, the stability of the optical unit plays a crucial role in the quality of the lithographically formed product. The optical unit includes the light source and the objective lens, with the exposure performance of the objective lens directly affecting the photolithography quality. Factors affecting the exposure performance of the objective lens include temperature. During the operation of the exposure equipment, the mask stage moves in the top region of the objective lens. The movement of the mask stage itself and the associated measurement sensors generates heat. This heat affects the temperature stability of the exposure optical path at the top of the objective lens and the lens itself, thus affecting the exposure performance of the objective lens.

[0003] In existing technologies, vapor chambers are commonly used to improve temperature stability in the environment, but they cannot be used in exposure equipment. Current vapor chambers improve longitudinal thermal conductivity at high-heat-generating elements by adding heat-conducting pillars. This requires direct contact with the heat source, and the heat source's position should be relatively fixed. However, in exposure equipment, the vapor chamber cannot directly contact the heat source, and the heat-generating mask stage and measurement sensors are moving, causing the heating location to change. Furthermore, existing vapor chambers use beveled surfaces for the contact surfaces between the pyrolytic graphite interlayer and the heat-conducting pillars, as well as the contact surfaces between the outer edge and the aluminum casing, to increase the contact area between the graphite interlayer and the aluminum alloy casing and improve the vapor chamber's thermal conductivity. However, in exposure equipment, due to structural and space limitations, it is usually impossible to form beveled contacts, leading to a reduction in the vapor chamber's thermal conductivity. In addition, exposure equipment has relatively high requirements for ambient temperature and stability. While vapor chambers can improve temperature uniformity, they cannot achieve precise temperature control.

[0004] Therefore, providing a temperature control device adapted to the top structure of the objective lens to improve the temperature stability of the top region of the objective lens, thereby improving the exposure performance of the objective lens, has become one of the issues that need to be addressed by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a temperature control component and an exposure device to solve the problem that existing heat spreaders cannot be adapted to exposure devices and cannot fully utilize their thermal conductivity.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a temperature control component, comprising:

[0007] A heat spreader is placed between the mask stage and the mirror assembly;

[0008] The heat spreader includes a first encapsulation layer, a thermally conductive layer, and a second encapsulation layer. The thermally conductive layer is disposed between the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer, and the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer completely cover the thermally conductive layer. The thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer in the direction parallel to the heat spreader is greater than the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer in the direction perpendicular to the heat spreader.

[0009] The first encapsulation layer and / or the second encapsulation layer are further provided with grooves, and the grooves are provided with temperature-controlling material. The temperature-controlling material cooperates with the heat-conducting layer to maintain the stability of the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly.

[0010] Optionally, the temperature control material includes graphite material and / or refrigerant, with the graphite material filling the groove; the refrigerant flows through the temperature control tube, which is disposed in the groove.

[0011] Optionally, the temperature control material includes the graphite material, the temperature distribution plate has a high-temperature zone and a low-temperature zone, and the distribution density of the grooves in the high-temperature zone is greater than the distribution density of the grooves in the low-temperature zone.

[0012] Optionally, the groove has a straight section and a connecting section, which are alternately connected in sequence to form a serpentine arrangement. The spacing between adjacent straight sections in the high-temperature zone is smaller than the spacing between adjacent straight sections in the low-temperature zone.

[0013] Optionally, the temperature control material includes the refrigerant, the temperature distribution plate has a high-temperature zone and a low-temperature zone, and the temperature control tube through which the refrigerant flows is disposed in the groove located in the low-temperature zone.

[0014] Optionally, the groove has a straight section and an arc-shaped section, the straight section and the arc-shaped section are connected alternately in sequence, and the inlet end and outlet end of the temperature control tube are both located close to the high-temperature zone.

[0015] Optionally, the temperature control material includes the graphite material and the refrigerant, the temperature distribution plate has a high-temperature zone and a low-temperature zone, the graphite material is filled in the groove located in the high-temperature zone, and the temperature control tube through which the refrigerant flows is disposed in the groove located in the low-temperature zone.

[0016] Optionally, the high-temperature zone includes the area corresponding to the temperature distribution plate and the mirror assembly.

[0017] Optionally, the refrigerant includes high-precision cooling water.

[0018] Optionally, the groove is located on the side of the first encapsulation layer near the thermally conductive layer, and / or, the second encapsulation layer is located on the side of the second encapsulation layer near the thermally conductive layer.

[0019] Optionally, if the depth of the groove is d, the thickness of the first encapsulation layer is d1, and the thickness of the second encapsulation layer is d2, then 0.5d1≤d≤0.8d1 and / or 0.5d2≤d≤0.8d2 are satisfied.

[0020] Optionally, a connection area is provided between the groove and the edge of the first encapsulation layer and / or the second encapsulation layer to facilitate the connection between the first encapsulation layer, the thermally conductive layer, and the second encapsulation layer.

[0021] Optionally, the heat spreader includes multiple heat spreader sub-blocks, each of which has a first encapsulation layer, a thermally conductive layer, and a second encapsulation layer. The heat spreader is formed by sequentially splicing multiple heat spreader sub-blocks, and the thermally conductive layers in each heat spreader sub-block are flush.

[0022] Optionally, the temperature distribution plate is provided with multiple functional holes, which are used for light beams to pass through or for sensors to pass through.

[0023] Optionally, the temperature control assembly further includes a bracket for mounting the temperature distribution plate, such that the temperature distribution plate is located between the mirror assembly and the mask stage.

[0024] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides an exposure apparatus, comprising: a mask stage, a mirror assembly, and a temperature control component as described above, wherein the temperature control component is disposed between the mask stage and the mirror assembly to maintain a stable ambient temperature near the mirror assembly.

[0025] Compared with existing heat spreaders, the temperature control components and exposure equipment provided in this application have the following advantages:

[0026] The temperature control component provided in this application has a heat spreader plate disposed between the mask stage and the lens assembly. The heat spreader plate contains a thermally conductive layer made of a thermally conductive material. The lateral thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive material is greater than its longitudinal thermal conductivity, meaning that the heat transfer rate in the direction parallel to the heat spreader plate is greater than the heat transfer rate in the direction perpendicular to the heat spreader plate. This allows heat to diffuse rapidly in the direction parallel to the heat spreader plate, maintaining temperature uniformity in this direction while reducing the heat transfer rate perpendicular to the heat spreader plate. This slows down the rate at which heat generated by the mask stage and corresponding sensors passes through the heat spreader plate, thereby reducing the impact of temperature rise on the exposure performance of the lens assembly. Simultaneously, grooves are provided on the first encapsulation layer and / or the second encapsulation layer, containing a temperature-controlling material. This temperature-controlling material works in conjunction with the thermally conductive layer to further improve the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature near the lens assembly, thereby reducing the impact of temperature on the lens assembly, improving image quality, and increasing product yield.

[0027] Furthermore, the temperature control material includes graphite, whose lateral thermal conductivity is greater than its longitudinal thermal conductivity. Filling the grooves with graphite increases the contact area between the graphite and the encapsulation layer, further improving the thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer and making the temperature more uniform in the direction parallel to the heat spreader. At the same time, the distribution density of the grooves in the high-temperature zone is greater than that in the low-temperature zone, allowing heat in the high-temperature zone to be transferred more quickly through the heat-conducting layer and graphite along the direction parallel to the heat spreader, thus improving the heat transfer rate in the high-temperature zone and further controlling the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly, keeping it at a uniform temperature.

[0028] Furthermore, the temperature control material includes a refrigerant that flows through a temperature control tube located in a groove in a low-temperature zone. After the heat-conducting layer transfers heat from the high-temperature zone to the low-temperature zone, the refrigerant flowing through the temperature control tube can reduce the temperature change caused by the heat, thereby achieving precise temperature control. Preferably, the refrigerant includes high-precision cooling water, the temperature of which can be controlled within a preset temperature range. Thus, when heat is transferred to the low-temperature zone, the high-precision cooling water can exchange heat with the heat, further ensuring that the ambient temperature remains within the preset temperature range and maintaining the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly.

[0029] Furthermore, the temperature control materials include graphite and refrigerant. The graphite is filled in the groove located in the high-temperature zone, and the temperature control tube with refrigerant flowing through it is placed in the groove located in the low-temperature zone. The graphite combined with the heat-conducting layer accelerates the rate of heat transfer from the high-temperature zone to the low-temperature zone. The refrigerant in the low-temperature zone can exchange heat with the heat, thereby ensuring the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature and further reducing the impact of temperature on the exposure performance of the lens assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view comparing the heat spreader provided in this embodiment of the invention with an aluminum alloy plate in the prior art.

[0031] Figure 2 A comparison diagram of the heat transfer rate between the heat spreader provided in the embodiments of the present invention and the aluminum alloy plate in the prior art;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship of the temperature control components provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a top view of the heat spreader provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first heat spreader provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of the first type of heat spreader provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second type of heat spreader provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of the second type of heat spreader provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of the third type of heat spreader provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature measuring points of the heat spreader provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 11 Temperature contour plot of aluminum alloy plate in existing technology;

[0041] Figure 12 Temperature cloud diagram of the first type of heat spreader provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 13 Temperature cloud diagram of the second type of heat spreader provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0043] The explanations of the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0044] 10-Population plate; 100-First encapsulation layer; 101-Heat-conducting layer; 102-Second encapsulation layer; 103-Population sub-block; 104-High temperature zone; 105-Low temperature zone;

[0045] 20 - Groove; 200 - Straight section; 201 - Connecting section; 202 - Arc-shaped section;

[0046] 30 - Temperature control material; 300 - Graphite material; 301 - Temperature control tube;

[0047] 40 - Connection area;

[0048] 50 - Functional hole; 500 - Light-transmitting hole; 501 - Clearance hole;

[0049] 60 - Bracket; 601 - Mounting hole;

[0050] 70 - Mask stage; 80 - Lens assembly; 90 - Aluminum alloy material;

[0051] A - Parallel to the heat spreader; B - Perpendicular to the heat spreader. Detailed Implementation

[0052] To make the objectives, advantages, and features of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and are not drawn to scale, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the explanation of the embodiments of this invention. Furthermore, the structures shown in the drawings are often part of the actual structures. In particular, different figures may emphasize different aspects and may sometimes use different scales.

[0053] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural objects; the term “or” is generally used to mean “and / or”; the term “a number” is generally used to mean “at least one”; and the term “at least two” is generally used to mean “two or more”. Furthermore, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as “first,” “second,” or “third” may explicitly or implicitly include one or at least two of that feature. “One end” and “the other end,” as well as “proximal end” and “distal end,” generally refer to two corresponding parts, including not only endpoints. The terms “installed,” “connected,” and “joined” should be interpreted broadly; for example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements. Furthermore, as used in this specification, the phrase "one element is disposed on another element" generally only indicates that there is a connection, coupling, cooperation, or transmission relationship between the two elements, and the connection, coupling, cooperation, or transmission between the two elements can be direct or indirect through an intermediate element. It should not be construed as indicating or implying a spatial positional relationship between the two elements, i.e., one element can be located arbitrarily inside, outside, above, below, or to the side of another element, unless otherwise explicitly stated. The terms "above," "below," "top," and "bottom" generally refer to relative positional relationships arranged according to the direction of gravity; the terms "vertical" or "vertical direction" generally refer to the direction of gravity, which is generally perpendicular to the ground; "horizontal" or "horizontal plane direction" generally refers to a direction parallel to the ground. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this specification according to the specific circumstances.

[0054] The purpose of this invention is to provide a temperature control component and an exposure device to solve the problem that existing heat spreaders cannot be adapted to exposure devices and cannot fully utilize their thermal conductivity.

[0055] For those skilled in the art, please refer to [the relevant documentation]. Figures 1 to 2Existing heat sink housings are typically made of aluminum alloy 90. Aluminum alloy 90 has excellent thermal conductivity compared to other metals (such as steel and copper), meaning it can transfer heat generated by electronic devices to the surface more quickly and dissipate heat through convection and radiation. However, in photolithography, temperature affects the exposure performance of the lens assembly 80, leading to a decrease in image quality. Therefore, maintaining a uniform and stable ambient temperature around the lens assembly 80 is crucial for improving image quality. Aluminum alloy plates, while possessing good thermal conductivity, cannot further control the ambient temperature around the lens assembly 80, thus failing to meet the temperature control requirements of the lens assembly 80. Graphite materials, on the other hand, exhibit anisotropic thermal conductivity, with a higher thermal conductivity along the crystal orientation than metals like aluminum or copper. Therefore, under the same external dimensions, graphite materials can transfer localized heat to the surrounding area more quickly than ordinary aluminum alloy 90. Figure 2 As shown, at the same time t, the heat transfer rate on graphite materials is greater than that on aluminum alloy material 90, which lays a good foundation for maintaining the stability of the ambient temperature near the lens assembly 80. Based on this, in this embodiment, the heat spreader 10 is configured as a multi-layer component with a heat-conducting layer 101, and a groove 20 is provided on the encapsulation layer located outside the heat-conducting layer 101. A temperature-controlling material 30 is provided in the groove 20. Combining the heat-conducting layer 101 and the temperature-controlling material 30, the thermal conductivity of the heat spreader 10 is further improved, and precise temperature control of the ambient temperature near the lens assembly 80 is achieved, thereby improving the imaging quality of the lens assembly 80 and thus improving the product yield.

[0056] Please refer to Figures 3 to 9The present invention provides a temperature control component, comprising: a heat spreader 10 disposed between a mask stage 70 and a mirror assembly 80; the heat spreader 10 includes a first encapsulation layer 100, a thermally conductive layer 101, and a second encapsulation layer 102, the thermally conductive layer 101 being disposed between the first encapsulation layer 100 and the second encapsulation layer 102, and the first encapsulation layer 100 and the second encapsulation layer 102 completely covering the thermally conductive layer 101; the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer 101 in the direction parallel to the heat spreader 10 is greater than the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer 101 in the direction perpendicular to the heat spreader 10; the first encapsulation layer 100 and / or the second encapsulation layer 102 are further provided with grooves 20, and temperature control material 30 is disposed in the grooves 20, the temperature control material 30 cooperating with the thermally conductive layer 101 to maintain the stability of the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly 80. It should be noted that in this embodiment, both the first encapsulation layer 100 and the second encapsulation layer 102 are aluminum alloy plates, and the thermally conductive layer 101 is graphene. Considering the contamination in the mirror assembly 80 area inside the exposure equipment, the heat spreader 10 uses graphene as the core material and aluminum alloy plates as the encapsulation material, encapsulating the graphene between the two aluminum alloy plates by welding. Those skilled in the art will understand that graphene, as a type of graphite material, also possesses anisotropic thermal conductivity. Furthermore, at room temperature, the thermal conductivity of graphene is higher than that of allotropes such as bulk graphite, carbon nanotubes, and diamond, and far exceeds that of metals such as silver and copper. The designers utilize this characteristic to make the thermally conductive layer 101 in this embodiment run parallel to the direction of the heat spreader 10 (in... Figure 6 , Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 The thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer 101 (in the direction of the extension of line A, referred to as the transverse direction below) is greater than that of the heat-conducting layer 101 along the direction perpendicular to the heat spreader 10 (in the direction of the extension of line A, referred to as the transverse direction below). Figure 6 , Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 The thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer 101 (where B is the extension direction of the straight line, referred to as the longitudinal direction below) is such that, in this embodiment, the thermally conductive layer 101 can rapidly transfer heat to the surroundings along the direction parallel to the heat spreader 10 when heat is generated during the operation of the mask stage 70 and the corresponding sensors, and slow down the rate at which heat enters the environment near the lens assembly 80 along the direction perpendicular to the heat spreader 10. This achieves uniform ambient temperature near the lens assembly 80 while also providing a certain degree of heat insulation. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, in addition to the graphene core layer between the aluminum alloy plates, the heat spreader 10 also has grooves 20 on the aluminum alloy plates, and a temperature-controlling material 30 is placed in the grooves 20. The temperature-controlling material 30 works in conjunction with the thermally conductive layer 101 to accelerate the rate of heat transfer along the direction parallel to the heat spreader 10, and can achieve precise temperature control of the ambient temperature near the lens assembly 80, thereby reducing the impact of temperature on the exposure performance of the lens assembly 80 and improving the imaging quality of the lens assembly 80.

[0057] As an optional embodiment, please refer to Figure 3and Figure 4 The temperature control assembly also includes a bracket 60, which is mounted on the base on which the mirror assembly 80 is placed and extends towards the mask stage 70. The heat spreader 10 has mounting holes 601 that fit the bracket 60. The bracket 60 supports the heat spreader 10 by passing through the mounting holes 601 and positions the heat spreader 10 between the mask stage 70 and the mirror assembly 80. In other embodiments, the bracket 60 may also be mounted on the side wall of the mask stage 70 near the mirror assembly 80, and the heat spreader 10 may be hung on the bracket 60. Figure 4 As shown, the heat spreader 10 is also provided with multiple functional holes 50, including light-transmitting holes 500 and clearance holes 501. The light-transmitting holes 500 allow a light beam emitted from a light source (not shown in the figure) to pass through the heat spreader 10 and through the mirror assembly 80 to obtain the optical path for photolithography. The position of the light-transmitting holes 500 should be adapted to the position of the light source. The clearance holes 501 allow a sensor to pass through the heat spreader 10 for monitoring during operation; therefore, the position of the clearance holes 501 should be adapted to the working path of the sensor. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 4 In this embodiment, the heat spreader 10 is formed by sequentially splicing three heat spreader sub-blocks 103 (specifically, the heat spreader sub-blocks 103 can be sequentially connected by welding to form the heat spreader 10). Each heat spreader sub-block 103 is provided with a first encapsulation layer 100, a heat-conducting layer 101 and a second encapsulation layer 102. The heat-conducting layers 101 on each heat spreader sub-block 103 should be set flush when splicing so that the heat-conducting layers 101 of the three heat spreader sub-blocks 103 can be spliced ​​to form a whole heat-conducting layer 101, thereby giving full play to the heat conduction performance of the heat-conducting layer 101. In some other embodiments, the heat spreader 10 can also be formed by splicing other numbers of heat spreader sub-blocks 103. This embodiment does not limit this. Meanwhile, the temperature distribution plate 10 is also divided into a high-temperature zone 104 and a low-temperature zone 105. The high-temperature zone 104 includes the area corresponding to the temperature distribution plate 10 and the mirror assembly 80, while the low-temperature zone 105 is the remaining area. In this embodiment, since the temperature distribution sub-block 103 located in the middle is directly above the mirror assembly 80, it is affected by the illumination of the light source, the mask stage 70, and the reciprocating motion of the sensor. Therefore, its ambient temperature is higher than that of the temperature distribution sub-blocks 103 located on both sides. Figure 4 In the example shown, the high-temperature zone 104 is the area where the uniform temperature sub-block 103 is located in the middle, and the low-temperature zone 105 is the area where the uniform temperature sub-blocks 103 are located on both sides.

[0058] The following is combined Figures 5 to 9 This section explains the configuration of the groove 20 and the temperature control material 30, thereby further explaining the mechanism by which the temperature control material 30 works in conjunction with the heat-conducting layer 101 to stabilize the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly 80.

[0059] As an optional embodiment, the temperature control material 30 includes graphite material 300 and / or refrigerant, with graphite material 300 filling the groove 20; the refrigerant flows through the temperature control tube 301, which is disposed in the groove 20. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the temperature control material 30 includes graphite material 300 and refrigerant, wherein the graphite material 300 is graphene, and the refrigerant is high-precision cooling water at 22°C with a stability better than 5 mK / 5 min, meaning the temperature of the high-precision cooling water fluctuates by less than 5 mK around 22°C every 5 minutes. Those skilled in the art will understand that the high-precision cooling water can be provided by a precision chiller, which can continuously and stably output high-precision cooling water to ensure the stability of the ambient temperature.

[0060] In an optional embodiment, please refer to Figures 5 to 6 The temperature control material 30 includes graphite material 300. The temperature distribution plate 10 has a high-temperature zone 104 and a low-temperature zone 105. The distribution density of the grooves 20 in the high-temperature zone 104 is greater than that in the low-temperature zone 105. Furthermore, the grooves 20 have straight sections 200 and connecting sections 201, which are alternately connected to form a serpentine arrangement. The spacing between adjacent straight sections 200 in the high-temperature zone 104 is smaller than the spacing between adjacent straight sections 200 in the low-temperature zone 105. This configuration, by filling the grooves 20 with graphite material 300, increases the contact area between the graphite material 300 and the encapsulation layer, further improving the thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer 101 and making the temperature more uniform in the direction parallel to the heat spreader 10. At the same time, the distribution density of the grooves 20 in the high-temperature region 104 is greater than that in the low-temperature region 105, allowing the heat in the high-temperature region 104 to be transferred more quickly through the heat-conducting layer 101 and the graphite material 300 in the direction parallel to the heat spreader 10, thereby improving the heat transfer rate in the high-temperature region 104 and further controlling the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly 80 to maintain a uniform temperature.

[0061] It needs to be explained that, in Figures 5 to 6 In the illustrated example, the groove 20 is disposed on the entire first encapsulation layer 100 and / or the second encapsulation layer 102. The groove 20 is a serpentine flow channel member having a straight section 200 and a connecting section 201. The straight section 200 is parallel to the short side of the heat spreader 10 (i.e., Figure 5 The X-axis of the heat exchange plate 10 is set so that the connecting section 201 is parallel to the long side of the heat exchange plate 10 (i.e., the X-axis). Figure 5The straight section 200 and the connecting section 201 are alternately connected in the Y direction to form a continuous serpentine groove 20. In other embodiments, the groove 20 may also be spirally arranged, or the groove 20 may be irregularly distributed on the aluminum alloy plate, or the connecting section 201 in the groove 20 may be an arc-shaped groove 20. In addition, the groove 20 may also be discontinuous segmented. Those skilled in the art can reasonably configure the arrangement of the groove 20 according to the actual situation, and this embodiment does not limit this. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, to ensure the overall image quality of the optical path, the temperature of the heat spreader 10 needs to be maintained within the range of 22±0.1℃. Therefore, for the high-temperature region 104 with a temperature greater than 22.1℃, the spacing between adjacent straight sections 200 can be set to 3mm to 5mm; while for the low-temperature region 105 with a temperature lower than 21.9℃, the spacing between adjacent straight sections 200 can be set to 8mm to 10mm, so as to ensure the heat transfer rate of the high-temperature region 104 while reducing the area of ​​the groove 20 in the low-temperature region 105, thereby reducing production costs. The spacing between adjacent straight sections 200 can be the distance between the centers of adjacent straight sections 200, or the spacing between corresponding sides of adjacent straight sections 200.

[0062] In another alternative embodiment, please refer to Figures 7 to 8 The temperature control material 30 includes a refrigerant. The temperature distribution plate 10 has a high-temperature zone 104 and a low-temperature zone 105. A temperature control pipe 301, through which the refrigerant flows, is disposed in a groove 20 located in the low-temperature zone 105. Furthermore, the groove 20 has a straight section 200 and an arc-shaped section 202, which are alternately connected in sequence. The inlet and outlet ends of the temperature control pipe 301 are both located close to the high-temperature zone 104. With this configuration, after the heat-conducting layer 101 transfers heat from the high-temperature zone 104 to the low-temperature zone 105, the temperature change caused by the heat can be reduced by the refrigerant flowing in the temperature control pipe 301, thereby achieving precise temperature control. Preferably, the refrigerant includes high-precision cooling water, and the water temperature of the high-precision cooling water can be controlled within a preset temperature range (22±0.1℃ in this embodiment). Thus, when the heat is transferred to the low-temperature zone 105, the high-precision cooling water can exchange heat with the heat, further ensuring that the ambient temperature is within the preset temperature range and maintaining the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly 80.

[0063] It needs to be explained that, in Figures 7 to 8 In the illustrated example, the groove 20 is disposed in the low-temperature region 105 of the first encapsulation layer 100 and / or the second encapsulation layer 102. The groove 20 is arranged in a meandering, uniform manner, and has a straight section 200 and an arc-shaped section 202. The straight section 200 is parallel to the short side of the heat spreader 10 (i.e., Figure 7The arc segment 202 is an arc-shaped groove 20 with a central angle of 180°, which facilitates the arrangement of the temperature control tube 301. The temperature control tube 301 can be welded to the groove 20 or snap-fitted to the groove 20; this embodiment is not limited to either. In other embodiments, the groove 20 can also be arranged in a spiral shape, and in order to meet the arrangement requirements of the temperature control tube 301, the groove 20 should be a continuous groove 20 without any breaks in the middle. At the same time, the flow rate of the high-precision cooling water in the temperature control tube 301 can be set to 1.5L / min to 2L / min to ensure that the water temperature in the temperature control tube 301 is always within the range of 22±0.1℃, which facilitates heat exchange with the outside environment and maintains the stability of the ambient temperature. In addition, in this embodiment, the inlet and outlet of the temperature control tube 301 are both located near the high-temperature zone 104. In other embodiments, the inlet and outlet of the temperature control tube 301 may also be located near the low-temperature zone 105. At the same time, the refrigerant flowing in the temperature control tube 301 may also be in a gaseous state. Those skilled in the art can make reasonable configurations according to the actual situation.

[0064] In another alternative embodiment, please refer to Figure 9 The temperature control material 30 includes graphite material 300 and a refrigerant. The temperature distribution plate 10 has a high-temperature zone 104 and a low-temperature zone 105. The graphite material 300 is filled in the groove 20 located in the high-temperature zone 104, and the temperature control tube 301, through which the refrigerant flows, is located in the groove 20 located in the low-temperature zone 105. With this configuration, the graphite material 300 filling the groove 20 in the high-temperature zone 104 and the temperature control tube 301, through which the refrigerant flows, is located in the groove 20 in the low-temperature zone 105. The graphite material 300, combined with the heat-conducting layer 101, accelerates the rate of heat transfer from the high-temperature zone 104 to the low-temperature zone 105. The refrigerant in the low-temperature zone 105 can exchange heat with the heat, thereby ensuring the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature and further reducing the impact of temperature on the exposure performance of the lens assembly 80.

[0065] It needs to be explained that, in Figure 9 In the illustrated example, the heat transfer rate in the high-temperature zone 104 is accelerated, and the ambient temperature is kept stable in the low-temperature zone 105 through heat exchange with high-precision cooling water. In another embodiment, a temperature control pipe 301 with refrigerant flowing through it can be placed in the groove 20 located in the high-temperature zone 104, and graphite material 300 can be filled in the groove 20 located in the low-temperature zone 105. This allows the heat in the high-temperature zone 104 to exchange with the high-precision cooling water first, and the graphite material 300 accelerates the heat transfer rate after the exchange, thus maintaining a uniform and stable ambient temperature. In this embodiment, the relevant configurations of the groove 20, graphite material 300, and high-precision cooling water can be referred to the previous description, and will not be repeated here.

[0066] As an alternative embodiment, in Figure 6 , Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 In the illustrated example, the recess 20 is located on the side of the first encapsulation layer 100 near the thermally conductive layer 101, and / or, the second encapsulation layer 102 is located on the side of the second encapsulation layer 102 near the thermally conductive layer 101. It should be noted that in... Figure 6 , Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 In this embodiment, the grooves 20 are all disposed on the side of the second encapsulation layer 102 near the heat-conducting layer 101. In some other embodiments, the grooves 20 may also be disposed on the side of the first encapsulation layer 100 near the heat-conducting layer 101. Alternatively, the grooves 20 may be disposed on the side of the first encapsulation layer 100 and the second encapsulation layer 102 near the heat-conducting layer 101 respectively, so that the temperature control material 30 comes into contact with the heat-conducting layer 101, thereby giving full play to their respective heat conduction performance.

[0067] Furthermore, with Figure 9 For example, if the depth of the groove 20 is d, the thickness of the first encapsulation layer 100 is d1, and the thickness of the second encapsulation layer 102 is d2, then 0.5d1≤d≤0.8d1 and / or 0.5d2≤d≤0.8d2 are satisfied. Furthermore, a connection area 40 is provided between the groove 20 and the edges of the first encapsulation layer 100 and / or the second encapsulation layer 102 to facilitate connection between the first encapsulation layer 100, the heat-conducting layer 101, and the second encapsulation layer 102. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the depth of the groove 20 accounts for 50% to 80% of the thickness of the first encapsulation layer 100 or the second encapsulation layer 102. This ensures that the groove 20 has sufficient accommodating space while also preventing deformation of the aluminum alloy plate during processing, which would affect the quality of the heat spreader 10. Meanwhile, the groove 20 leaves a certain welding area at the edge of the first encapsulation layer 100 and the second encapsulation layer 102 so that the first encapsulation layer 100, the thermal conductive layer 101 and the second encapsulation layer 102 can be successfully encapsulated.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, please refer to Figures 10 to 13 To verify the effectiveness of the above technical solution in maintaining uniform and stable ambient temperature, aluminum alloy plates (such as...) were tested. Figure 1 (As shown in the upper structure), the temperature control material 30 is a heat spreader 10 of graphite material 300 (as shown in the upper structure). Figure 6 (as shown) and the temperature-controlled material 30 is a heat spreader 10 (as shown) with refrigerant as the heat-controlling material 30. Figure 8 As shown, simulations were performed under the same experimental conditions; please refer to the previous text for relevant parameters. Figure 10 The arrangement of temperature measuring points on the three types of heat exchange plates 10 described above; Figure 11 The temperature contour map obtained from the simulation of the aluminum alloy plate; Figure 12 The temperature cloud map is obtained by simulating the temperature control material 30, which is a heat spreader 10 made of graphite material 300. Figure 13 This is a temperature cloud map obtained from a simulation of a temperature-controlled vapor chamber 10 using refrigerant 30 as the temperature control material. Combined with... Figures 11 to 13 Based on the temperature simulation data of the corresponding temperature measuring points (as shown in Table 1), it can be seen that regardless of whether the temperature control material 30 is graphite material 300 or refrigerant, its temperature uniformity is better than that of aluminum alloy plate. Moreover, compared with graphite material 300, the temperature control effect of using refrigerant (high-precision cooling water in this embodiment) is more accurate.

[0069] Table 1. Measurement point temperatures of different temperature distribution plates.

[0070]

[0071] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The present invention also provides an exposure apparatus, including: a mask stage 70, a mirror assembly 80, and a temperature control component as described above. The temperature control component is disposed between the mask stage 70 and the mirror assembly 80 to maintain a stable ambient temperature near the mirror assembly 80. Those skilled in the art will understand that during photolithography, the mask stage 70 carrying the mask, the workpiece stage carrying the substrate, and the mirror assembly 80 all need to undergo corresponding movements to complete the photolithography of each circuit structure. With this configuration, by using the aforementioned temperature control component, a heat spreader 10 is disposed between the mask stage 70 and the mirror assembly 80. Through the cooperation of the temperature control material and the heat-conducting layer 101, the impact of heat generated during the movement of the mask stage 70 on the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly 80 is reduced, optimizing the exposure performance of the mirror assembly 80, improving imaging quality, and increasing product yield.

[0072] In summary, in the temperature control component and exposure equipment provided in the embodiments of the present invention, the temperature control component includes: a temperature distribution plate disposed between the mask stage and the mirror assembly; the temperature distribution plate includes a first encapsulation layer, a thermally conductive layer, and a second encapsulation layer, the thermally conductive layer being disposed between the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer, and the first and second encapsulation layers completely covering the thermally conductive layer; the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer along the direction parallel to the temperature distribution plate is greater than the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive layer along the direction perpendicular to the temperature distribution plate; the first encapsulation layer and / or the second encapsulation layer are further provided with grooves, and temperature-controlling material is disposed in the grooves, the temperature-controlling material cooperating with the thermally conductive layer to maintain the stability of the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly.

[0073] This configuration, by placing a heat spreader between the mask stage and the lens assembly, and incorporating a thermally conductive layer made of a thermally conductive material with a greater lateral thermal conductivity than longitudinal thermal conductivity (meaning heat transfer rate parallel to the heat spreader is greater than heat transfer rate perpendicular to the heat spreader), allows heat to diffuse rapidly in the direction parallel to the heat spreader. This maintains temperature uniformity in the direction parallel to the heat spreader and reduces the rate of heat transfer perpendicular to the heat spreader, slowing the passage of heat generated by the mask stage and corresponding sensors through the heat spreader, thereby reducing the impact of temperature rise on the exposure performance of the lens assembly. Simultaneously, grooves are provided on the first and / or second encapsulation layers, containing temperature-controlling material. This temperature-controlling material works in conjunction with the thermally conductive layer to further improve the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature near the lens assembly, thereby reducing the impact of temperature on the lens assembly, improving image quality, and increasing product yield.

[0074] Furthermore, the temperature control material includes graphite, whose lateral thermal conductivity is greater than its longitudinal thermal conductivity. Filling the grooves with graphite increases the contact area between the graphite and the encapsulation layer, further improving the thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer and making the temperature more uniform in the direction parallel to the heat spreader. At the same time, the distribution density of the grooves in the high-temperature zone is greater than that in the low-temperature zone, allowing heat in the high-temperature zone to be transferred more quickly through the heat-conducting layer and graphite along the direction parallel to the heat spreader, thus improving the heat transfer rate in the high-temperature zone and further controlling the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly, keeping it at a uniform temperature.

[0075] Furthermore, the temperature control material includes a refrigerant that flows through a temperature control tube located in a groove in a low-temperature zone. After the heat-conducting layer transfers heat from the high-temperature zone to the low-temperature zone, the refrigerant flowing through the temperature control tube can reduce the temperature change caused by the heat, thereby achieving precise temperature control. Preferably, the refrigerant includes high-precision cooling water, the temperature of which can be controlled within a preset temperature range. Thus, when heat is transferred to the low-temperature zone, the high-precision cooling water can exchange heat with the heat, further ensuring that the ambient temperature remains within the preset temperature range and maintaining the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly.

[0076] Furthermore, the temperature control materials include graphite and refrigerant. The graphite is filled in the groove located in the high-temperature zone, and the temperature control tube with refrigerant flowing through it is placed in the groove located in the low-temperature zone. The graphite combined with the heat-conducting layer accelerates the rate of heat transfer from the high-temperature zone to the low-temperature zone. The refrigerant in the low-temperature zone can exchange heat with the heat, thereby ensuring the uniformity and stability of the ambient temperature and further reducing the impact of temperature on the exposure performance of the lens assembly.

[0077] The above description is merely a description of preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Any changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the above disclosure shall fall within the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A temperature control component, characterized in that, include: A heat spreader is placed between the mask stage and the mirror assembly; The heat spreader includes a first encapsulation layer, a thermally conductive layer, and a second encapsulation layer. The thermally conductive layer is disposed between the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer, and the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer completely cover the thermally conductive layer. The thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting layer in the direction parallel to the heat spreader is greater than that in the direction perpendicular to the heat spreader. The first encapsulation layer and / or the second encapsulation layer are further provided with grooves, and the grooves are provided with temperature-controlling material. The temperature-controlling material cooperates with the heat-conducting layer to maintain the stability of the ambient temperature near the mirror assembly.

2. The temperature control component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control material includes graphite material and / or refrigerant, with the graphite material filling the groove; the refrigerant flows through the temperature control tube, which is disposed in the groove.

3. The temperature control component as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The temperature control material includes the graphite material, and the temperature distribution plate has a high-temperature zone and a low-temperature zone. The distribution density of the grooves in the high-temperature zone is greater than the distribution density of the grooves in the low-temperature zone.

4. The temperature control component as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The groove has a straight section and a connecting section, which are alternately connected in sequence to form a serpentine arrangement. The spacing between adjacent straight sections in the high-temperature zone is smaller than the spacing between adjacent straight sections in the low-temperature zone.

5. The temperature control component as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The temperature control material includes the refrigerant, the temperature distribution plate has a high temperature zone and a low temperature zone, and the temperature control tube through which the refrigerant flows is disposed in the groove located in the low temperature zone.

6. The temperature control component as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The groove has a straight section and an arc-shaped section, which are connected alternately in sequence. The inlet and outlet ends of the temperature control tube are both located close to the high-temperature zone.

7. The temperature control component as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The temperature control material includes the graphite material and the refrigerant. The temperature distribution plate has a high-temperature zone and a low-temperature zone. The graphite material is filled in the groove located in the high-temperature zone, and the temperature control tube through which the refrigerant flows is disposed in the groove located in the low-temperature zone.

8. The temperature control component as described in any one of claims 3, 5, and 7, characterized in that, The high-temperature zone includes the area corresponding to the temperature distribution plate and the mirror assembly.

9. The temperature control component as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerant includes high-precision cooling water.

10. The temperature control component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The groove is located on the side of the first encapsulation layer near the thermal conductive layer, and / or, on the side of the second encapsulation layer near the thermal conductive layer.

11. The temperature control component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The groove has a depth of d, the first encapsulation layer has a thickness of d1, and the second encapsulation layer has a thickness of d2. Then, 0.5d1≤d≤0.8d1 and / or 0.5d2≤d≤0.8d2 are satisfied.

12. The temperature control component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A connection area is provided between the groove and the edge of the first encapsulation layer and / or the second encapsulation layer to facilitate the connection between the first encapsulation layer, the thermal conductive layer, and the second encapsulation layer.

13. The temperature control component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heat spreader includes multiple heat spreader sub-blocks, each of which has a first encapsulation layer, a thermally conductive layer, and a second encapsulation layer. The heat spreader is formed by sequentially splicing the multiple heat spreader sub-blocks, and the thermally conductive layers in each heat spreader sub-block are flush.

14. The temperature control component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature distribution plate is provided with multiple functional holes, which are used for light beams to pass through or for sensors to be installed.

15. The temperature control component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control component also includes a bracket for mounting the temperature distribution plate, such that the temperature distribution plate is located between the mirror assembly and the mask stage.

16. An exposure apparatus, characterized in that, include: The mask stage, the mirror assembly, and the temperature control component as described in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the temperature control component is disposed between the mask stage and the mirror assembly for maintaining a stable ambient temperature near the mirror assembly.

Images